I rarely play symphonic tenor tuba parts since I come from the 60 years of wind band tradition and have acquired brass band chops in the last 12+ years. I did do a Bartok tenor tuba piece this last year with the New England Philharmonic. My main experience in the Boston area (which is absolutely a symphonic town) is based on observing Mike Roylance, tubist for the BSO. Mike is a Yamaha artist.
For Bydlo, Mike plays an F tuba. While I prefer the sound of a "tenor tuba", he has the chops to play the part. This also means he doesn't have to hire a sub. For the tenor tuba parts in Bartok, Mahler, Strauss and Janacek, he plays his Yamaha 642 euphonium, perhaps with a second when it requires 2 tenor tubas. For Planets, he also plays euphonium. Mike is a strong euphonium player who plays with a very large sound, (though not pretty in a classical sense). I know of one instance when Mike called in Gail Robertson to play euphonium. He has access to many professional tubists, so his typical bass or contrabass tuba parts are covered that way. I have not seen a case where the tenor or bass trombone players second on euphonium, though it may happen.
AFAIK, when Wagnerian Tubas are called for, the performances are done by members of the french horn section or free lance horn subs. The Janacek Sinfonietta is a case where it requires so many "tuba" players of all forms that that there is enough to go around.
Adams E3 0.60 Sterling bell - Prototype top sprung valves
Concord Band
Winchendon Winds
Townsend Military Band
Pictures is in my opinion also a "Just do it on F tuba" sort of thing. I want an instrument for things like Ein Heldenleben, Don Quixote, The Planets (That's what I can name off the top of my head), and for tuba ensembles. I'm just not sure if a compensating euphonium or a French C Tuba is more appropriate for that.
Toby Simard
Mack EU1150S - Denis Wick SM2U
M&M 5 Valve CC Tuba - Helleberg 120S
I would recommend a Mack EU1150S with a Denis Wick SM4U for everything you want to play in the euphonium/tenor tuba repertoire.
With respect. This is even harder to understand than your original post. Here is a little info about a Couesnon French C Tuba. It has a pretty large bore compared to your typical Euphonium, but the bell is no larger than the average Bb Euph. In fact the bell on my Besson clone is as close to 12" as matters. Here is the Wessex French C Tuba another poster mentioned. I don't know ... I don't think "huge and dark" is going to be a characteristic of either instrument compared to a regular Euphonium. Having six valves will undoubtedly aid the French Tuba in exploring the lower range of the instrument without the need for a compensation mechanism but the fingering will be rather more complicated. In any case, the reason why I think you should consider the C Tuba, is the same reason why if I decided to play Tuba I would probably pick a BBb vs a CC: I am more innately familiar with the harmonic series of the instrument I already play. Do not discount the home court advantage of already playing a C instrument. The sonic differences are a wash, I think.
John Packer JP274 MKII S
If this is actually your question, then, no, a French C Tuba is not appropriate for these uses (but when does that ever stop anyone). Especially the British (Planets) and the Tuba/Euph ensemble repertoire, the expectation will be a Bb Euphonium, compensating or not. As I understand it, the Mack Brass compensating Bb euphonium has its fans, but there are alternatives.
John Packer JP274 MKII S
Here is an interesting demonstration_ comparison of the bass parts played with a French tuba.
https://youtu.be/313HdaUj0iE
https://youtu.be/HGIux_7_baA
Last edited by franz; 12-06-2020 at 03:01 AM.
2007 Besson Prestige 2052, 3D+ K&G mouthpiece; JP373 baritone, 4B modified K&G mouthpiece; Bach 42GO trombone, T4C K&G mouthpiece; 1973 Besson New Standard 3 compensated valves, 3D+ K&G modified mouthpiece; Wessex French C tuba, 3D+ K&G modified mouthpiece.